1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a webbing anchor lock mechanism for use in a seatbelt system of the type wherein a webbing anchor is movable along a guide rail for preventing the webbing anchor from moving during an emergency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofor, there have been proposed automatically fastening type seatbelt systems in which a webbing for restraining an occupant is automatically fastened to the occupant after the occupant enters the vehicle, whereby the webbing is reliably fastened to the occupant, to thereby improve the safety of the occupant. Such a seatbelt system is of such an arrangement that an anchor plate coupled to one end portion of the webbing for restraining the occupant is caused to run along a guide rail provided on the vehicle, whereby the webbing is automatically fastened to or unfastened from the occupant.
In this automatically fastening type seatbelt system, after the anchor plate is moved and the webbing is fastened to the occupant, it is necessary to prevent the anchor plate from moving so as to be prepared for an emergency of the vehicle. In particular, if the anchor plate moves when the vehicle is involved in a collision, then the restraining of the occupant becomes imperfect. Hence, it is necessary to reliably lock the anchor plate after the webbing is automatically fastened to the occupant, and to quickly unlock the anchor plate so as to make the anchor plate movable, when the occupant leaves the vehicle.